Dispenser for paper clips and the like

ABSTRACT

Paper clip dispenser has downward baffle to limit access of clip reserve to discharge opening. Few clips are held in opening by magnet. Side wall of opening is smooth to promote easy dispensing.

O Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,750,868

Cooper [4 Aug. 7, 1973 [54] DISPENSER FOR PAPER CLIPS AND THE 3,269,528 8/1966 Lecdy 2013/] R LIKE 3,353,883 11/1967 Cairo et 11].... 312/35 3,375,057 3/1968 Morris 132/1 R Inventor: J ph p westporl, Conn- 3,587,835 6/1971 Shore 206/1 R [73] Assignee: Scovill Manufacturing Company,

Waterbury, Conn. Primary ExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. [22] 1971 Attorney-Dallett Hoopes [21] Appl. No.: 208,655

[52] US. Cl 206/1 R, 132/1 A, 206/D1G. 33,

221/212, 312/ [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B6511 83/02 [58] Field of Search 206/1 R, DIG. 33;

221/2 2. 312 35. 32 1 A 1 R. 20 R Paper Cllp dlspenser has downward baffle 1O 11m1t 3C- 5 223/109 cess of clip reserve to discharge opening. Few clips are held in opening by magnet. Side wall of opening is [56] Reerences Cited smooth to promote easy dispensing.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,578,819 3/1926 Freeland 220/22 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures I I 5 I I I I ,I I I I I,

PAIENTEU M18 3.750.868

I NVEN TOR.

.5. Zioseph Cooper ATTORNEY This invention relates to a dispenser for elongated ferrous metal objects such as paper clips. More specifically, this invention relates to adispenscr adapted to hold compactly a large reserve of objects to be dispensed and to retain a small number of such objects adjacent the mouth of the dispenser for easy removal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the past, dispensers for paper clips and the like have often taken the form of a cup-shaped container having a cap with a central opening surrounded by magnet means. In use, the cup has been filled with paper clips and the magnet has held many adjacent the opening for dispensing. An example is shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,587,835. Most prior art devices of this type, however, have suffered from a number of drawbacks. In the first place, because the reservoir has been directly connected and aligned with the outlet, it has been the case that often too many of the articles to be dispensed have clogged the opening making it difficult to reach for a single clip. There has instead been presented a large number of clips at the opening which has required the attention of the user to pick out a discreet clip and separate it from the bundle. In addition, the prior art devices have presented near the top of the structure, cracks and ledges between the cover and the opening side wall. On such cracks, the paper clips have gotten hung up making their removal additionally difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Under the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for paper clips or the like which, despite a generous reservoir, restricts flow to the mouth of the dispenser to limit the number of clips available at any one time. This presents easy dispensing and no requirement of the user to pay attention to where the clips are disposed about the mouth or how many there are. Additionally, smooth surfaces are presented to the very top of the mouth of the device to preclude the clips catching as they move up.

Other objects of the invention will be understood from a reading of the following specification including the drawings wherein is described and shown a nonlimiting embodiment of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a top plan view of a dispenser embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of a dispenser embodying the invention with the cover removed;

FIG. 4 is a centerline sectional view on an enlarged scale showing an embodiment filled with paper clips of the gem type; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more specifically to the drawings, a dispenser embodying the invention is generally designated in FIG. 1. It comprises a generally cup-shaped container 12, preferably of transparent plastic, having a tight-fitting cover 14 also preferably plastic.

Preferably as shown in FIG. 4,. the container I2 is stylized and at its mouth the peripheral wall I5 is reduced to present a shoulder 16. The lower end of the side wall III of the cover 14 butts against the shoulder I6 to present a smooth surface in assembly. A top wall 19 is provided in the cover.

As shown, the interior of the structure as shown in FIG. 4 presents smooth walls featuring a concavely curved bottom end wall 20 and a flat upwardly extending side wall 22. In the preferred version, the top ofthe side wall 22 extends up beyond the level of the mouth of the container.

As shown best in FIG. 3, the side wall 22 is spaced from the peripheral wall 15 of the mouth of the container. A supporting rib 26 is disposed between the peripheral wall 15 and the side wall 22 partly to reinforce the structure. Disposed in the space between the peripheral wall 15 and the side wall 22 is a bar magnet 28 which rests on the supporting rib 126.

The cover 14 is provided with a generous opening 30. In installation, opening 30 is oriented so that its edge 32 most proximate the peripheral side wall 18 of the cover engages the upper end of the side wall 22 of the container and so that the top edge of the side wall rises to a level flush with the upper surface of the cover thus precluding any cracks or lines in the discharge mouth of the container.

As shown, the side of the opening 30 more remote from the side wall 22 is arcuate and is formed with a depending baffle 34. The baffle extends down to a point spaced above the bottom wall 20 of the container.

In use, the hollow of the container is filled as shown in FIG. 4, with a large number of gem clips or other ferrous metal items to be dispensed. As the cover 14 is maneuvered into position, the baffle 34 is preferably lowered into the container adjacent the side wall 22 and used to push the bulk of clips to the left as shown in FIG. 4. Once the cover is in position on the container 12, baffle 34 serves as a kind of dam to permit flow of only a certain number of clips to the right of the baffle. As shown, clips adjacent the opening 30 are drawn to the side wall 22 and held thereby the magnet 28 ready for dispensing.

As clips are withdrawn from adjacent the magnet 28, more clips are drawn up the flat side wall by the action of the magnet. Occasionally, it may be desired to shake the entire dispenser to cause more flow of clips from under the baffle 34 and a new supply to adhere to the wall 22 adjacent the magnet.

The dispenser of the invention is extremely effective in that despite a rather large number of clips in the reservoir, only a few clips at a time are presented in the mouth 30, greatly facilitating dispensing. At the same time, because there are no cracks or ledges in the side wall 22, on the way. to its upper end, there is nothing on which the clips may catch.

Variations of the structure described are possible within the scope of the following claim language:

I claim:

l. A paper clip dispenser comprising a cup-shaped container having a concave inside bottom wall and a adapted to engage the mouth of said container and having an opening adapted to be aligned over the flat side wall, the cover having a downwardly extending baffle disposed generally parallel to said flat side wall and on the opposite side of the opening from the wall, the baffle depending into the container to a point spaced above the concave bottom wall and adapted to hold a portion of a supply of paper clips or the like to the side of the baffle more remote from the opening.

2. A dispenser for paper clips or the like as described in claim 1 wherein the baffle is arcuate in horizontal magnet covered by a portion of said cover. 

1. A paper clip dispenser comprising a cup-shaped container having a concave inside bottom wall and a relatively flat side wall portion rising vertically from said bottom wall at one side of the container, magnet means disposed outside said container adjacent the upper end of said flat side wall portion, and a cover adapted to engage the mouth of said container and having an opening adapted to be aligned over the flat side wall, the cover having a downwardly extending baffle disposed generally parallel to said flat side wall and on the opposite side of the opening from the wall, the baffle depending into the container to a point spaced above the concave bottom wall and adapted to hold a portion of a supply of paper clips or the like to the side of the baffle more remote from the opening.
 2. A dispenser for paper clips or the like as described in claim 1 wherein the baffle is arcuate in horizontal cross-section, curving about the side of the opening farthest from the magnet.
 3. A dispenser for paper clips or the like as described in claim 1 wherein said flat side wall portion extends up into the opening in the cover and its upper end is flush with the upper surface of thE top wall of the cover.
 4. A dispenser for paper clips or the like as described in claim 1 wherein said magnet means is a straight bar magnet covered by a portion of said cover. 